2of3Spurs' Manu Ginobili (20) dunks against the Los Angeles Lakers in the first half at the AT&T Center on Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013.Photo: Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News

3of3Spurs' Manu Ginobili (20) reacts after attempting a steal against the Los Angeles Lakers in the first half at the AT&T Center on Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013.Photo: Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News

This being the digital age and all, the announcement came in a burst of less than 140 characters on Twitter. Manu Ginobili tweeted Wednesday morning that he has agreed to return to the Spurs for two more seasons.

He wrote, “Thrilled to announce that as I always hoped, I'm gonna stay with the @spurs for two more years. #gospursgo.”

At this early stage, not much more is known about Ginobili’s impending deal — which he cannot officially ink until July 10 — than what the 36-year-old Argentine shooting guard Tweeted. Ginobili is not retiring. And he will not play for any team other than the one that drafted him in 1999.

The details of the contract will be interesting. It is a certainty that Ginobili will take a pay cut from the $14.1 million he made last season as the Spurs’ highest-paid player. In a similar situation last summer, for instance, franchise icon Tim Duncan sliced his salary from $21.15 million to $9.6 million in order to re-sign with the Spurs.

Ginobili’s number, combined with the structure on the four-year, $36 million agreement the team has reached with center Tiago Splitter, will determine the Spurs’ budget for the remainder of free agency. Much is still fluid, but the Spurs could have between $7 and $8-million to spend on the open market, and more should the team choose to amnesty the remaining $3.94 million on Matt Bonner’s contract.

Ginobili is coming off an at-times rough 2012-13 season, in which he appeared in only 60 games and approached career lows in scoring (11.8 points) and shooting percentages (42.5 percent overall and 35.3 percent from 3-point range).

Ginobili also struggled with turnovers, averaging 2.2 per game. His eight-turnover performance in Game 6 remains one of the indelible moments of the Spurs’ loss to Miami in the NBA Finals. It came one game after Ginobili’s 24 points and 10 assists lifted the Spurs to victory in Game 5, proof the South American dynamo still has some of the magic left in him that contributed to three championship runs.

The Spurs made no secret of their desire to bring him back. Despite his flaws and age, Ginobili retains value as what Miami coach Erik Spoelstra called an “x-factor” — a player whose myriad skills make him difficult to prepare for.

Ginobili has averaged 14.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.1 turnovers per game over his 11-year career.

And now Ginobili is back for one more wild ride, and maybe two.

Tidbits

Ginobili finishes his career with the team he’s been with since entering the NBA as a 25-year-old rookie in 2002.

He committed 12 turnovers over the final two games of the NBA FInals, with the eight in Game 6 being a career high and the four in the fourth quarter of Game 7 also standing out like a sore thumb.

Never known for his durability, Ginobili missed 22 games last season with a variety of tweaks and sprains.

Ignoring Ginobili’s cap hold, the Spurs were roughly $8 million under the projected 2013-14 salary cap of $58.5 million after agreeing to a four-year, $36-million extension with Splitter on Tuesday. Depending on how much Ginobili gets, and what the Spurs decide to do with restricted free agent Gary Neal, they could potentially lure another rotation player via free agency. Andrei Kirilenko and Monta Ellis have reportedly had contact with the Spurs, while ESPN.com’s Marc Stein tweeted earlier today that they’re also interested in Kyle Korver.

Another interesting facet of Ginobili’s deal: Provided Tim Duncan exercises his player option for 2014-15, the Spurs only have three contracts on the books for the following season — Splitter, Kawhi Leonard and Cory Joseph.

Staff writer Dan McCarney contributed to this report.

This being the digital age and all, the announcement came in a burst of less than 140 characters on Twitter. Manu Ginobili says he has agreed to return to the Spurs for two more seasons.

At this early stage, not much more is known about Ginobili’s impending deal — which he cannot officially ink until July 10 — than what the 36-year-old Argentine shooting guard Tweeted. Ginobili is not retiring. And he will not play for any team other than the one that drafted him in 1999.

The details of the contract will be interesting. It is a certainty that Ginobili will take a pay cut from the $14.1 million he made last season as the Spurs’ highest-paid player. In a similar situation last summer, for instance, franchise icon Tim Duncan sliced his salary from $21.15 million to $9.6 million in order to re-sign with the Spurs.

Ginobili’s number, combined with the structure on the four-year, $36 million agreement the team has reached with center Tiago Splitter, will determine the Spurs’ budget for the remainder of free agency. Much is still fluid, but the Spurs could have between $7 and $8-million to spend on the open market, and more should the team choose to amnesty the remaining $3.94 million on Matt Bonner’s contract.

Ginobili is coming off an at-times rough 2012-13 season, in which he appeared in only 60 games and approached career lows in scoring (11.8 points) and shooting percentages (42.5 percent overall and 35.3 percent from 3-point range).

Ginobili also struggled with turnovers, averaging 2.2 per game. His eight-turnover performance in Game 6 remains one of the indelible moments of the Spurs’ loss to Miami in the NBA Finals. It came one game after Ginobili’s 24 points and 10 assists lifted the Spurs to victory in Game 5, proof the South American dynamo still has some of the magic left in him that contributed to three championship runs.

The Spurs made no secret of their desire to bring him back. Despite his flaws and age, Ginobili retains value as what Miami coach Erik Spoelstra called an “x-factor” — a player whose myriad skills make him difficult to prepare for.

Ginobili has averaged 14.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.1 turnovers per game over his 11-year career.

And now Ginobili is back for one more wild ride, and maybe two.

Tidbits

Ginobili finishes his career with the team he’s been with since entering the NBA as a 25-year-old rookie in 2002.

He committed 12 turnovers over the final two games of the NBA FInals, with the eight in Game 6 being a career high and the four in the fourth quarter of Game 7 also standing out like a sore thumb.

Never known for his durability, Ginobili missed 22 games last season with a variety of tweaks and sprains.

Ignoring Ginobili’s cap hold, the Spurs were roughly $8 million under the projected 2013-14 salary cap of $58.5 million after agreeing to a four-year, $36-million extension with Splitter on Tuesday. Depending on how much Ginobili gets, and what the Spurs decide to do with restricted free agent Gary Neal, they could potentially lure another rotation player via free agency. Andrei Kirilenko and Monta Ellis have reportedly had contact with the Spurs, while ESPN.com’s Marc Stein tweeted earlier today that they’re also interested in Kyle Korver.

Another interesting facet of Ginobili’s deal: Provided Tim Duncan exercises his player option for 2014-15, the Spurs only have three contracts on the books for the following season — Splitter, Kawhi Leonard and Cory Joseph.